Facing a divorce or custody case in Dallas County
If you live in Dallas County, your divorce or custody case will usually be filed with the Dallas County District Clerk and heard by one of the county's seven family district courts at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street in downtown Dallas. A county-wide standing order sets rules for every divorce and custody case filed in the county, covering the children, pets, property and how both sides behave. Scott Rewak's office is a short drive away at 5950 Sherry Lane in Preston Center, and your first consultation is free and confidential.
Where Dallas County family cases are heard
Dallas County has seven district courts that hear only family cases: the 254th, 255th, 256th, 301st, 302nd, 303rd and 330th. All seven sit in the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202. Some are in the New Tower and one is in the West Tower, so check the floor on your court's own page before you go.
Each court's page lists an elected judge and an associate judge. An associate judge is a judge who works under the elected judge. Your court number appears on your papers once the case is filed, and that court's page shows which floor to go to.
Family filings go to the Dallas County District Clerk, Suite 103 of the same building. Lawyers must file electronically through eFileTexas. People filing without a lawyer may file electronically but do not have to, under the Supreme Court of Texas e-filing order.
Does a Dallas address mean a Dallas County case?
Usually, though not always. The City of Dallas reaches into Collin, Denton, Kaufman and Rockwall counties as well as Dallas County. Texas law looks at the county you live in. To file for divorce in a county, you or your spouse must have lived in that county for the 90 days before filing, and in Texas for the six months before filing (Tex. Fam. Code §6.301). If your home is in the Collin County part of Dallas, see the Collin County page. If it is in the Denton County part, see the Denton County page.
The Dallas County standing order
A standing order is a set of rules the courts put in place for every case of a certain kind, without anyone having to ask. Dallas County's is called the "Dallas County Standing Order Regarding: Children, Pets, Property and Conduct of the Parties". The current version was revised on January 31, 2026. It says it applies in every divorce and every suit affecting the parent-child relationship filed in Dallas County. That second phrase is the legal name for custody, visitation and child-support cases.
In plain words, the order covers:
- Children. Do not take the children out of Texas without a written agreement or a court order. Do not disrupt their school or daycare, hide them, discuss the case with them, or speak badly of the other parent in front of them.
- Pets. Do not harm or threaten a pet, or interfere with its care.
- Conduct. No threats, no harassing calls, and no coarse or offensive messages meant to annoy or alarm, whether in person, by phone, by text, by video chat or on social media.
- Property. The order also has a property section for divorces. Read it, or ask a lawyer to walk you through it, before moving money.
Some older copies of the order are still posted online. The link above is the January 2026 revision. If you have just been served, the order may already apply to you.
Mediation and parenting classes in Dallas County
Mediation is a meeting with a neutral person, the mediator, who helps both sides try to reach an agreement. Each Dallas family court sets its own policies. As one example, the 303rd District Court's written policies say mediation is mandatory in all contested cases unless the court waives it. In contested custody cases, the same policies say a social study (a home study by an evaluator) and mediation are to be completed before the trial date.
The same court decides whether parents must take a parenting class on a case-by-case basis. Scott's mediation page explains what the day itself looks like.
Protective orders in Dallas County
If you are afraid for your safety, the Dallas County District Attorney's Protective Orders Division handles applications. It is at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Blvd. Scott's protective orders page explains how these orders fit with a divorce or custody case.
How Scott helps in Dallas County
Scott Rewak is Board Certified, Family Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His office is at 5950 Sherry Lane, Suite 800, in Preston Center. He studied accounting before law school, which helps when a case turns on money, a business or a complicated paycheck.
Scott often says, "There's no substitute for being prepared." In a Dallas County case, that means knowing which court you are in, what the standing order asks of you, and what your court expects before mediation or trial. His aim is to help you reach a resolution that leaves you in the strongest position possible once the case is over.
If you are just starting to think about divorce, preparing for divorce is a good place to begin. The free Navigating Divorce workbook helps you gather what you will need.
Questions people ask
Which court will my Dallas County divorce be in?
Your case will be assigned to one of the seven family district courts: the 254th, 255th, 256th, 301st, 302nd, 303rd or 330th. All of them are in the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street. Your court number appears on the papers once the case is filed.
Can I take the kids to visit family out of state while the case is open?
The Dallas County standing order says not to take the children out of Texas without a written agreement or a court order. Get the agreement in writing, or ask the court, before you travel.
Will I have to go to mediation?
Each court sets its own policy. The 303rd, for example, requires mediation in contested cases unless the court waives it. Whether yours must go depends on your court and your case.
I live in Dallas but my home is in Collin County. Where do I file?
Texas looks at the county you live in. If your address is in the Collin County part of Dallas, the case generally belongs in Collin County, as long as the 90-day county residence rule is met.
